The Boston Bruins will have to draw their inspiration from Nathan Horton's mere presence in the building at Rogers Arena.

In the run-up to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Bruins and Vancouver Canucks, the Bruins suggested that Horton, who suffered a serious concussion in Game 3 of the series, would skate with the team during warmups. In the end, he did not.

Horton traveled with the team to Vancouver and, up until game time, was trying to convince doctors that he was well enough to play.

The Bruins kept his jersey in their locker room, though, and Horton reportedly squeezed water from Boston on to the ice in Vancouver in the hours before the puck dropped.

"Our players chose to honor him by making sure the trainers brought his equipment. Before the game, his sweater is hanging in his stall. He's part of our team and we want him there to the end."

The 26-year-old was stretchered from the ice earlier in the series when Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome leveled him with a late hit along Vancouver's blue line. The hit earned Rome a four-game suspension.

Horton was also at TD Garden before Game 6, a fact not lost on goalie Tim Thomas.

"I was very happy to see him, and I'm very happy to have him around," Thomas said. "I just spent some time talking to him in the locker room. He's a positive guy. His joy for the game and life is kind of like a little kid, and that's a great thing, and I personally feed off of that."